5 Advantages to Using an Office Chair Mat
Office chair mats are one of the most important additions and elements in any home or work office.
While the appeal of an office chair mat is in the aesthetic that it provides, they also provide a slew of practical benefits.
While office chair mats have fallen in favor, we’re going to discuss the 5 advantages to using an office chair mat in your home or work office.
Before we begin, we’d like to discuss what an office chair mat is.
An office chair mat is an ergonomic tool, placed directly beneath the user’s chair, that provides support and ease of movement to the user.
Typically made of plastic, office chair mats have been shown to lower fatigue and reduce the likelihood of stress injuries.
On average, an office worker moves their chair more than 300 times in an eight-hour day.
This continued, and repetitive, movement can lead to lower back pain, stress on the legs, and general discomfort on the upper body.
While an office chair mat does not magically solve all these problems, it does help with stabilizing the chair and providing more comfort to the user.
Protect the Floor Beneath the Chair
On average, office workers move their chairs over 300 times in an eight-hour day.
This repeated movement can tarnish and degrade the floor beneath the chair.
Repeated movement can also scratch and discolor the floor beneath the chair.
An advantage to using an office chair mat is its ability to protect the floor, whether it is carpet, hardwood, or another material.
Protects the Users Body
Mobility is a main concern for many office workers.
As they are constantly moving around their desk, they will need the ability to freely and easily move and shift their seat accordingly.
While you may not be performing the most strenuous activities at your desk, you will want the freedom to move around.
An office chair mat provides this flexibility and reduces the likelihood of injury from a lack of movement.
Helps the User to Multitask
Movement is an essential component to any office work.
The ability to shift your chair to another portion or side of your desk is paramount to your multitasking abilities and in helping you to shift your body accordingly.
As such, office chair mats provide the leverage needed to move, shift, and adjust your chair as needed.
This benefit can help you to multitask more efficiently and effectively.
Increases User Safety
Safety within the office or workplace is one of the most important needs of any employer.
While office chair mats aren’t a silver bullet, they do increase a user’s safety by providing an easy way to move, shift, and adjust their chair on command or as needed.
Too often, users will attempt to move their chairs against thick carpet, leading to the chair falling over or getting stuck.
This can be easily eliminated with an office chair mat.
Increases the Ambiance and Aesthetic of the Office
High-end office chair mats provide a level of ambiance in the office.
The high-end mats not only increase the aesthetic in the office, but they also create an aura of cleanliness and organization.
The office chair mat can make any user feel more organized and tidy, leading to better efficiency and productivity.
Choosing the Best Office Chair Mat
When it comes to choosing an office chair mat, the determination should be made dependent on the type of floor material the chair currently sits on.
This is important as office chair mats are designed and engineered for different materials and thickness.
Generally, you will want to opt for thinner material and design for hardwood flooring and continue to increase the thickness as you move onto carpeted flooring.
In addition, many office chair mats meant to carpeted floors have cleated backs to prevent slipping.
Placing an office chair mat meant for carpeted floors on a hardwood floor can lead to scratches and discoloration.
You will always want to take into account the floor type before purchasing any office chair mat.
- Hardwood Flooring – opt for an office chair mat that is 1/8” thick and has no cleats
- Low Pile Carpet – opt for an office chair mat that is 1/8” thick or less
- Medium Pile Carpet – opt for an office chair mat that is up to 3/16” thick
- Plush Pile or Shag Carpet – opt for an office char mat that is 3/16” thick or more
Office Chair Mat Size and Shape
Generally, you should look to purchase an office chair mat that covers your entire “roll area”.
This is the area directly beneath your office chair and the space where you frequently roll or move your chair to.
You should measure the area beneath your office chair and make an appropriate determination.
However, you do not want to go for an office chair mat that is too large.
An office chair mat that is too large and needs to be placed beneath furniture will likely crack under the pressure.
Office chair mats are not designed or built to support the weight from office furniture.
Lastly, we recommend going for an office chair mat that has a beveled design.
Beveled office chair mats offer a downward slope on the edges, allowing for a chair to roll on and off smoothly.
This makes moving the chair easier and more efficient.
When it comes to shapes, there are three general sizes for all office chair mats.
These include the rectangular, lip, and light bulb shapes.
We’ve included a quick guide on how each shape looks below, courtesy of On Time Supplies.
Best Office Chair Mats
We’ve ranked the best office chair mats below.
These mats, and the links below, can all be purchased on Amazon.
Although we have tested each of these mats, we are using an Amazon Affiliate link, which provides us with a small commission for any purchases you make on Amazon from our link.
Although this adds no additional cost to you, we would like to provide full transparency to our readers.
The best office chair mats provide a mix and a hybrid between form and function.
These mats are best suited for their specified flooring material and we highly recommend not veering from the manufacturer’s recommendation.
Best Office Chair Mats for Carpet Flooring
- DoubleCheck Products – this heavy-duty carpet chair is perfect for any office.
Coming in at 36 x 48 x 1/8 is a great product for low to medium pile carpets.
It is made of 100% pure polycarbonate, ensuring durability and it won’t break or crack from normal use.
The coloring on this office mat is transparent, allowing you to see the floor beneath the mat.
It also has a super grip backing, allowing for the mat to remain firmly in place.
- Floortex Cleartex Chair Mat – this was actually our favorite office chair mat from all the ones we tested.
This office chair mat is elegant and non-intrusive in any office space.
It is a rectangular chair mat with a lip design to go under the office desk.
This office mat is 100% recyclable and does not contain any toxic or harmful chemicals.
- Gorilla Grip Chair Mat – we’ll say this, this office chair mat does not play around.
Extremely thick and durable, the Gorilla Grip Chair Mat may be the most unbreakable office mat we tested.
Made in Europe, this office chair mat is also made with 100% polycarbonate so that the wheels won’t sink while using.
Definitely one of our top recommendations.
Best Office Chair Mats for Wood or Vinyl Flooring
- Lesonic Office Chair Mat – the Lesonic office chair mat provides a subdues black color, making any office space that much more elegant.
This office chair mat is durable, and the black coloration allows for scratches to be better hidden.
Guaranteed money back within 60-days if not satisfied with the product.
- AmazonBasics Office Chair Mat – perhaps the least exciting product from the pack, the AmazonBasics office mat simply gets the job done.
It is rectangularly built with a greyish undertone.
The mat comes with an anti-slip design, ensuring that you can work in peace.
Conclusion
The advantages to using an office chair mat are clearly evidenced by the increase in mobility, flexibility, and movement.
Office chair mats enhance any home or office workspace and help to create a more organized lifestyle.
Office chair mats are relatively inexpensive, ranging from $35 to $100 for one.
It is definitely an investment in your office space and can help you increase your own productivity.
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